The Central African Republic is still moving towards a new Constitution. The Republican Front movement, endorsers of the constitutional revision, has just appealed to the Constitutional Court to clarify Article 156 of the Constitution.
It should be recalled that on September 23, 2022, the Constitutional Court cancelled the committee responsible for drafting the new Constitution. But the Republican Front does not agree with this decision and wants to rely on Article 156 of the Constitution to question it. Because, Article 156 indicates: “Pending the establishment of the Senate, the national assembly exercises the totality of legislative power”.
Also the Republic Front insists on a constitutional referendum. To this end, a petition has been launched throughout the territory of the Central African Republic for the signature of the population to invite President Faustin Archange Touadera to convene a constitutional referendum in a short time. According to the data posted by the coordinator of the Republican Front, Héritier Doneng, the petition has already collected more than 1,000,000 signatures.
The Republican Front is not the only organization to challenge the decision of the Constitutional Court and to advocate for the drafting of a new Constitution. Thus, the Popular Front Zo Kwé Zo through the voice of its president, Mouammar Bengué-Bossin, proposed during a conference-debate on October 08, 2022 in Bangui a new approach to President Faustin Archange Touadera.
“We have proposed to the President of the Republic to refer the matter directly to the people by referendum. Article 235 of the Electoral Code, paragraph 4, is clear on this. Any decree calling for a referendum is not subject to any appeal to the Constitutional Court. There is no constitution that prevents the President of the Republic from consulting his people,” proposed Mouammar Bengué Bossin.
The political scientist and president of the Popular Front Zo Kwe Zo also stressed that even organic or ordinary laws, which are supposed to be less durable than a constitution, the law never provides for their own repeal procedure and there is nowhere in the world, a constitution that is eternal.
Thus, despite the decision of the Constitutional Court, several people and organizations, in favor of drafting a new Constitution, believe that there are other ways out. The Central Africans have high hopes for the new fundamental law and the Committee responsible for drafting the new Constitution is therefore continuing its work. As for the decision of the Constitutional Court to cancel this committee, it is controversial because its president Danielle Darlan is said to be retiring.
